Hell's Consort
by BelovedEdge
Summary: Dantalion was so hung up on his vow to be bound to Solomon for all eternity. For many years, he longed for love and happiness. More than anything, he longed for Solomon to come back to him. In all his grief, he hadn't realized that such a simple happiness was waiting right beside him. Warning: Shounen-Ai/Yaoi, mentions of Mpreg, Sitri x Dantalion, side pairing William x Dantalion
1. Once Upon A Broken Heart

"I love you, Dantalion," were the last words Solomon had said as he drew his last breath.

Dantalion gazed at the blue sky from the classroom's window. The days he despised most were peaceful days like this when the sky was clear and void of any clouds. These were the days that took his beloved Solomon from him. With a heavy sigh, he turned around, only to find Sitri staring up at him with heartrending eyes.

"Still thinking about Solomon?" the viscount asked him. Dantalion averted his eyes.

"It's none of your business."

At Dantalion's words, a surge of anger rushed through Sitri's veins. Of course, it was his business. Clenching his teeth, he shoved Dantalion against the wall. For once, Sitri made a fuss in public, not caring that their human schoolmates saw them fight, which the taller demon hadn't expected. Dantalion could only stand in shock.

"What was that for?" Dantalion tried to ask as calmly as he could. "If it's a fight you want, then let's take it outside where the humans can't see." Just then, the bell rang, signifying the continuation of classes. Then, William ran into the classroom, seeing Sitri and Dantalion standing around.

"What are you doing, Cartwright?!" the blond prefect yelled from the doorway. "Get back to class!" Frowning, Sitri turned his back to Dantalion. "We'll settle this after classes," Sitri said. He waved his right hand to bid his companion farewell as he walked out of the upperclassmen's classroom, head held high.

Before he could go back to his seat, Dantalion felt a hand grip his left wrist. He turned to see William looking at him with intense green eyes.

"What did Sitri want with you?" the descendant of Solomon probed. Dantalion shook his wrist from the Elector's tight grip.

"It was nothing, William. Don't worry about it." As the rest of the class got seated, so did William and Dantalion.

Classes went by quickly for the all the students; all but Sitri and Dantalion. Sitri hurried out of his classroom to find Dantalion, who he saw walking back to the dormitory alone with his head hung low. With the dreadfully slow pace that the Grand Duke of Hell was walking with, Sitri was able to catch up to him in no time. He walked behind Dantalion until they reached the dorms. Neither spoke. Sitri needed not say anything, for he knew that the brunet felt his presence from the beginning. They were both demons, after all.

"Spit it out," Dantalion managed to say, not turning to face the viscount. "Are you upset that I still think of Solomon? Just because you were his favorite doesn't mean he's all yours. There were seventy-two of us Pillars.

Dantalion could be so oblivious at times, Sitri thought. There was no use yelling at him, was there? Instead of doing anything rash, Sitri merely took a deep breath and turned Dantalion to face him.

"You fool," Sitri uttered. "You really are dense." Days like these were the days when Dantalion was at his weakest, Sitri knew. "Let me into your dorm room. We'll talk there."

When the two demons entered Dantalion's room, Sitri situated himself on the chair by the window without hesitation. The Duke, on the other hand, hastily prepared tea for the both of them, which he set on the table in front of Sitri. As Dantalion plopped on his bed in hopes of getting comfortable, Sitri spoke.

"Solomon had three hundred concubines, and seven hundred wives of royal birth. Then there were us, his seventy-two Pillars," Sitri stated before taking a sip of tea. "Of course, I wasn't his favorite." Dantalion's brows furrowed.

"Your point being?" the brunet questioned, slightly puzzled.

"Well think about it, Dantalion," Sitri cautiously prompted. "With all his wives and lovers, he should have had some devotion to at least some of them, right?" Apprehensively, Dantalion nodded.

"But, remember, Solomon only had three children," Sitri stated, his voice taking on a more serious tone. Dantalion's blood-red eyes widened in realization. Cruel memories from thousands of years past began to flash before his eyes. He had tried so hard to forget; to forget that his immortality had damned him to eternal loneliness.

"Don't you remember, Dantalion?" Sitri asked as he brought a hand to Dantalion's gentle face. Dantalion, who rarely cried — Dantalion who had wasted hundred of tears so many years ago — was now on the verge of tears.

"Rehoboam, Taphath, Basemath," the blue haired viscount listed, remembering the time in which Solomon lived. Dantalion, who Sitri met through Solomon, had been Solomon's one and only beloved; his single source of true happiness. Out of all the wives and lovers Solomon had, he favored Dantalion — his seventy-first Pillar. "They were all yours."

"_Join me and become mine_."

Solomon's words rang loud and clear in Dantalion's mind. He could never forget the moment they sealed their contract. Solomon's kiss was filled with genuine love, for once.

Who had ever thought, that in all his years of living, Solomon's true love would reside with a Nephilim?

The human king had fallen for Dantalion at first sight. He admired the demon's persistance. While Dantalion lacked the common grace that other high-class demons held, he excelled in everything else. Every move he made had a certain smooth edge to it; every step he took held pride; every breath he drew radiated strength. Likewise, Solomon had his own charms. It only took a few months before the Duke began to have feelings of affection for the blond king. They had been together for as long as they both could remember. Furthermore, because his wives turned away his heart, Solomon gained even more reason to pursue his relationship with the brunet demon. Blessed with the fortune of his powers, Dantalion was able to conceive an heir for Solomon. Their little blessing, who they named Rehoboam meaning "he who enlarges the people", was followed by two darling daughters, Taphath and Basemath.

They had created a perfect little world, just for the two of them and their small family. Yet that world came crashing down on Dantalion one day, when a messenger hurriedly went out of his way to find Dantalion to tell him that his dear Solomon had died. His tears did not come to a stop for three consecutive days, and when they did, he willed himself to stay strong for his children. Dantalion raised his precious children by himself. They kept him satisfied with life until they passed away, reminding the Grand Duke once more that his immortality had doomed him to isolation.

The tears which Dantalion had kept at bay had finally broken past his defenses, and trickled down his cheeks. The next thing he knew, he was pulled from the bed and into Sitri's arms, becoming enveloped in warmth.

"Forget about Solomon. Forget about William," Sitri coaxed. "Humans live such short lives. You'll be left alone again."

Dantalion looked up into the fallen angel's deep, blue eyes. So many thoughts ran through his head. Sitri's words had stirred his feelings into different directions.

"I'm here for you, Dantalion," the viscount claimed with a newfound passion. "I can give you so much more. I won't leave you like he did."

"Apologies, Sitri," Dantalion pleaded for the viscount's forgiveness as he released himself from Sitri's hold.

"I can't return your feelings. Not when Solomon has finally come back for me."

**A/N: Hello, everyone! This was my first fanfic xD I took down the original and made some revisions. I apologize to the people who wanted to see seme!Dantalion and uke!Sitri. Personally, I see Sitri as a yandere. Aside from that, I wanted to do a take on Dantalion's loving side. I wrote this as close as I possibly could to the manga, and I incorporated some historically accurate(probably not accurate, but close) facts to the plot. The hint of mpreg, I apologize for, but considering Dantalion's abilities, I thought it was possible. I would love to hear what you guys think about it. Sincere feedback and constructive criticism are always welcomed.**

**Thank you so much for reading!**


	2. To Love and Be Loved

**Disclaimer: I don't own Makai Ouji, nor anything from it. The rights to the series belong only to Yukihiro Utako and Takadono Madoka.**

The following day, Sitri found himself sitting on a tree branch, up high, near a big open field where a few upperclassmen played various sports. Dantalion was there with them and had played to the point of exhaustion. Ironically enough, the brunet still had not taken William's words to heart and continued to display his athleticism despite his background profile of being a sickly person.

Dantalion always had a cheeky smile on his face; one could only think that his life was ideal. Still, Sitri knew better. After all, this day was no different from yesterday.

A few minutes more, and the blue haired viscount grew bored. That was until he saw Amon and Mammon, rapidly flying by to reach their master. Sitri was unable to hear their discussion from such a far distance, but when he saw Dantalion's gaze meet his, the viscount instantly knew important matters were at hand.

After Dantalion had bid his classmates goodbye and made sure they continued to play without him, he hurried towards the trees where Sitri lazed around. In turn, Sitri jumped down from the tree to properly face the Nephilim.

"Apparently, Duke Balberith is looking for you," Dantalion said, his face flushed red from exerting himself. Sitri pouted.

"If he wants something from me, he can come here himself. I'm not so low as to leave in the middle of courting you." At the viscount's bold words, Dantalion raised a brow.

"Courting me?" the brunet could not believe what he just heard. "You don't even like me." Sitri took a step closer towards the taller demon and took in the sight before him.

"That may have been the case back then. But I know what I want. Damn the elections. I no longer care if William is the Elector, or Solomon's reincarnation. I'm not going to let you go back to him."

"My life is none of your business!" Dantalion snapped.

"None of my business?" Sitri started, his voice laced with agitation. "Oh, but it is! When Solomon died, when all your children with him died, I stood by you everyday. The rest of the Pillars and I were saddened by your suffering. I made an oath to all of them that I would watch over you, despite how strong you are."

Sitri was right, and Dantalion felt ashamed. Thousands of years had passed since Sitri helped him back up on his feet, and Dantalion still had not found a way to express his gratitude towards the viscount.

"Well, well," a familiar voice came from behind them. "This is quite a show."

The two candidates turned to face the direction from which the voice came from. The male figure before them bore long, obnoxiously curled hair. A stupendously large, purple hat sat atop his head, accompanied by his grand, purple coat and striped pants. At that moment, Sitri and Dantalion could only think the same thing. There was no one else in this world — or any world, in fact — that would dare parade around in public dressed like that. Of course, it could only be Gilles de Rais.

Dantalion sighed heavily.

"What do you want, Bluebeard?" the Grand Duke queried. The said demon chuckled, much to Sitri's annoyance.

"Duke Balberith got angry. He said Sitri shouldn't take so long to come back when called for," Gilles stated. "Rest assured, though. His Grace didn't send me to come and fetch you, puppet."

"Then what, in the name of Lucifer, did you come here for?" Sitri gritted through his teeth. He was no mere puppet, and he detested being called one.

"I've come to inform the Grand Duke, Dantalion, that Duke Balberith has invited him to an upcoming ball. It will be held in the House of Balberith tomorrow night and, if he so wishes, Dantalion may bring the Elector with him."


	3. Painstaking Discrepancies

**Disclaimer: Makai Ouji and its characters belongs to Yukihiro Utako and Takadono Madoka, not me.**

**A/N: I apologize for making the characters seem OOC, but this is how their characters unfolded in my perspective as I read the manga. Thank you so much for reading! Feedback is always welcomed :)**

"It's a trap," Dantalion claimed as he sauntered through the school grounds in search of William, Sitri following close behind him. "Of course I'm not going to take him with me."

"If that's the case," the viscount began, warily. "Why are you looking for him?"

"I just want to tell him I'm leaving early tomorrow so I'd have time to prepare before I head to the ball," Dantalion replied as they walked, his eyes carefully looking for William. "He might wonder where I went. I don't want to worry him."

As Dantalion's last sentence came to a stop, Sitri stopped in his tracks. For the past centuries, he had been content with watching Dantalion from afar. The viscount had never cared that the two of them did not get along. Sitri loathed Dantalion in the time that Solomon had lived. It could have been the fact that he hated seeing Dantalion and Solomon so happy with each other. But maybe — just maybe, in all these years since he had met Dantalion, Sitri bore feelings of jealousy towards the human king. Perhaps Sitri was unable to accept the fact that he, an angel fallen from grace, simply could not compare to Solomon, who had been blessed by the hand of God. Perhaps Sitri feared that Solomon, who stood as the epitome of grace, had been the only one deserving of Dantalion's gaze. Even after Solomon's death; even after Dantalion's children were taken by death one by one, the blue haired demon had never thought to patch up the gap between him and Dantalion. He was there for him, yes. However, Sitri only made sure that Dantalion was properly taking care of himself. He had never been there as Dantalion's friend, or comrade. Instead of helping the Nephilim mend his broken heart, Sitri merely obligated him to live for the sake of fulfilling his duties as the Grand Marquis of Hell.

After all, Solomon's acceptance was the only thing they had in common.

Yet, somehow, Dantalion had managed to make Sitri uneasy recently. Whenever the Grand Duke spoke of William, his voice emitted a fiery passion that made Sitri feel upset. Even the times they had talked about Dantalion's past with Solomon as of late made the viscount tremble in frustration.

"Is there something wrong, Sitri?" Dantalion asked, breaking the other demon's train of thought. "You suddenly stopped walking and spaced out." Sitri's head snapped up at the sound of Dantalion's voice.

"There is," Sitri candidly answered. "Solomon and William are two completely different people. It doesn't matter that William has Solomon's soul. Why do you always focus on William?"

Dantalion's eyes dimmed, not wanting to confront Sitri about his personal reasons. On the other hand, he would not run away from something so trivial, nor would he lie to and hide anything from his fellow Pillar.

"I have hope that William will take me back. In spite of everything, Solomon is a part of him. Nothing can change that," Dantalion replied. Though, deep inside, he knew he was only trying to convince himself that his beloved king will return to his arms one day. "Solomon would want me to return to him."

Sitri bit his bottom lip in annoyance. Dantalion had always been talking heartwarmingly about Solomon before, and ever since they had met, William. Sitri wondered if, at least once, Dantalion could acknowledge him instead of others.

"He doesn't even remember you, let alone accept your existence as a demon. Don't forget that he's still trying to rid himself of your presence! It would do you good to forget about him like he had forgotten about you."

"Just leave me alone!" the brunet retorted, turning away from Sitri. "In time, William will remember me. I believe in him." Sitri took a deep breath.

"If that is your wish," Sitri responded. "I'll stop intruding. Don't come crying to me if something goes wrong this time."

"What are you two doing out here?"

William stood in front of the two demons with a suspecting expression.

"I've been finding the two of you like this quite often as of late. If the two of you are planning anything that could possibly ruin my bright future, I'll..." the Twining heir trailed off. He had not thought of a valid threat beforehand.

"I'll forbid you from eating any sweets!" William exclaimed as he pointed a finger at Sitri, who looked horrified by the thought. "As for Dantalion..." William glanced at the Grand Duke for a brief moment. As far as he knew, there was nothing that Dantalion was afraid of.

"I'll deny your existence for the rest of my life."

"Don't worry," Dantalion reassured the blond man. "We're not up to any trouble."

"Anyway, William," rolling his eyes, Sitri chimed. "Would you like to do the honor of escorting Dantalion to a ball held in my uncle's house tomorrow night?"

"Shut up, Sitri," Dantalion chastised, growing tense as William's emerald-green eyes stared at him skeptically. "I was just looking for you to tell you that I'll be gone for the entire day tomorrow. I might take longer before coming back."

"Really? I finally get time alone, devoid of demonic presences," the descendant of Solomon thought aloud, seeming quite ecstatic with the idea. After giving it a few more seconds of thought, William beamed at Dantalion.

"I think I'd rather escort you."

Sitri's jaw dropped, shocked at the blond prefect's highly unexpected choice. Dantalion, on the other hand, nervously fidgeted.

"You don't have to go with me, William," the brunet hesitantly said. "In fact, I'd rather have you stay here." William glared at Dantalion.

"This is an order from me, to you," William claimed. "You are in no position to argue."

"What are you going to do there, William?" Sitri mockingly asked. "Prove to every single guest that they're not a demon?" The blond aristocrat chuckled.

"I hadn't thought about that!" William admitted. "Now that you mentioned it, I just might. But no, that's not the reason I want to escort Dantalion."

"If you say so," Sitri said with the intention of dropping the conversation. He told Dantalion he would no longer interfere with his affairs with William. "I'll see you at the ball, Dantalion."

Having said his farewell, Sitri transformed into his secondary demon form and disappeared into thin air, leaving Dantalion alone in the hands of Solomon's descendant once again.

Returning to hell all by himself, and one day earlier than he should have, was definitely not in Sitri's calculations; neither was William. If only the blond Elector had not interrupted their conversations, Sitri was positive that he would have been able to ease Dantalion and open his heart to so much more than memories of Solomon. Maybe talking to Astaroth would ease his troubled mind. In any case, Sitri hoped that she would advise him, considering that she has been Dantalion's lifelong guardian.

Upon his arrival at Astaroth's domain, he was greeted by the sight of Astaroth cradling Lamia in her arms. Surprisingly, Camio was there with them.

_Better than what I had hoped for_, Sitri thought as he smiled to himself and made his presence known.

"Ashe!" the blue haired viscount called out to the queen, as he lightly jogged over to where his companions stood.

"Welcome back, Sitri," Lamia and Camio said in unison. Astaroth gave him a painful smile. Sitri rarely visited her on his own, and when he did, it was usually because something major had happened between him and Dantalion.

"What happened to you and Dantalion this time?"

"I couldn't stand it anymore," Sitri complained as his eyes darkened. "All he talks about nowadays is Solomon and William. He won't listen to me no matter how many times I tell him. He still thinks Solomon is among the living."

"Since you've watched over Dantalion for a very long time, surely you know him better than anyone aside from Solomon," Sitri continued, his voice taking a much more desperate tone. "Can't you convince him to think his decisions through?"

"I'm sorry," the queen could only apologize. "Even I don't know what to do. Once Dantalion sets his mind on something, there's no stopping him."

Sitri then looks to Camio for a sign. He could tell that his fellow Pillar had the same fears he harbored.

"I'll try to talk some sense into him tomorrow night," the half demon said as he laid a hand on Sitri's right shoulder.

"I'm grateful, but," Sitri hesitated. After all, he had told Dantalion he would not interfere. "You'd better not. He doesn't want anyone to meddle with his affairs. Besides, he's being accompanied by the Elector tomorrow night."

"He's cheating on me again?!" Lamia interjected. It was surprising to see that she had kept quiet until now. The entire conversation revolved around her beloved Dantalion from the beginning.

"Oh, please! You think your love life is falling to pieces?" Sitri scornfully asked the small girl in Astaroth's arms, not realizing that his words at that moment reflected his own heart. Astaroth and Camio giggled.

Little did Sitri know, the queen and the general had already made plans that would hopefully free Dantalion from Solomon's cage.


	4. The Night Belongs To Us

**Disclaimer: Makai Ouji and its characters belong to Yukihiro Utako and Madoka Takadone. I own nothing from it, nor am I making a profit out of it.**

**A/N: Finally, it's the night of the ball. Thank you so much for reading. I'm quite new to writing fanfiction, so it means a lot to me. I look forwards to writing more stories for all of you.**

The next day had quickly passed, and the night of the ball finally came. One by one, the nobles of Hell walked into Duke Balberith's house. Sitri stood atop the stairway across from the entrance where he could see every single guest that came into the ball room. Astaroth, Camio, and Lamia had arrived an hour earlier before everyone else, much to the viscount's relief. No matter how relaxed he tried to make himself, however, Gilles de Rais kept on urging him to come down from the stairs and socialize.

Of course, Sitri was a sociable person. This was just one of the moments in his life in which he had no interest in mingling. He had insisted that he would wait for Dantalion's arrival before descending to greet the guests.

"Why don't you go and dance with a few ladies for now?" Camio asked Sitri as he sneaked past behind him. "Ashe and I will let you know when Dantalion arrives." Sitri turned to face the half demon, boredom written all over his expression.

"None of them pique my interest," Sitri admitted. "Besides, I want to be the first one to see Dantalion." Camio smiled with fascination.

"You actually love him, don't you?"

"Love..?" Sitri questioned as he raised a brow. As unfortunate as it was, Sitri had never known the meaning of the word. Maybe it was because he had never felt it.

"It was what Solomon and Dantalion had for each other," Camio stated. "A feeling of great affection." A small smile had settled itself on Sitri's lips.

"I see," the viscount replied. "Then, perhaps I do love Dantalion." Camio nodded, glad that he was able to help Sitri sort his feelings out.

"But it's also what drives Dantalion to stay with William," the general continued. "Don't you understand why he can't let go of William? It's because he has the same soul that had originally lit a fire in Dantalion's heart. I don't know what you see in that Nephilim, but your concerns are the same as mine."

We can't let them make the same mistake, Camio thought to himself.

Before Sitri could respond, he heard loud footsteps behind him. He turned around to see Astaroth hurriedly walking up the stairs towards him, Lamia following close behind her. The ball had already began a while ago, but there was still no sign of Dantalion.

"Balberith is pestering me to make you go down there and dance with some girls," Astaroth whined. "Why does your uncle always have to be such a pain in the neck?!"

Sitri gazed down upon the dance floor, seeing pairs dancing happily as other demons watched from the sidelines.

That night, Sitri decided to leave his hair down like usual. He wore a silver tunic, overlaid by a royal blue vest and a navy blue tail coat, accompanied by silver dress pants and black leather shoes. The colors suited him perfectly, and boosted his charisma, making all the single women who looked at him swoon at his handsomeness. There were many attractive female demons who wanted to dance with him. Yet no matter how beautiful they were, Sitri would stand his ground and wait for Dantalion. Even if Dantalion failed to show up, Sitri would refuse to dance with anyone. After all, no matter how beautiful the other demons seemed, Sitri's good looks surpassed theirs.

Before the blue haired viscount could say anything to the queen who awaited his response, a wave of gasps had filled the room one by one.

After arriving by carriage, Dantalion had finally entered the ball room, his left arm hooked to William's right.

The descendant of Solomon wore a simple tuxedo in the shade of beige, and a grey tie to go along with it. His blond hair was slicked back, and his feet were adorned by black dress shoes. Dantalion, on the other hand, wore a white — sleeveless high neck — A-line halter strap top that tightly hugged his hips which parted at the lower front and cascaded like a water fall to the floor behind him. Underneath the dress-like top, he wore black, silk leggings, topped off by white, knee-high boots. His brown hair was not gelled and spiked like it normally was. Instead, Dantalion's hair was groomed well and worn down, making it appear longer since the last time anyone from Hell had seen him. At the sight of Dantalion, Sitri only had one thought.

Beautiful.

The whole crowd was shocked that the Elector had escorted Dantalion, but above all, they marveled at the beauty of the Grand Duke before them. Dantalion's demanding presence had compelled everyone in the room to stop what they were doing and stare at him in awe.

"Gorgeous," Astaroth whispered to herself, loud enough for Sitri, Camio, and Lamia to hear.

"Welcome, Lord Dantalion," Duke Balberith greeted the brunet as he took a few steps forward and made a light bow, receiving a formal curtsy from the Grand Duke. "We are honored that you and the Elector could join us tonight." Although Balberith had a prominent dislike for Nephilims, even he could not deny that there were many reasons why Dantalion held a great influence as the Grand Duke of Hell.

Unconciously, Sitri's feet dragged him down the stairs, his three companions following behind him. All eyes were suddenly on Sitri, and the crowd opened a path for him to get to Dantalion. As he rushed towards the Grand Duke, Sitri reached out with his right hand and grabbed the brunet's wrists.

"Music!" the viscount yelled at the musicians to play as he pulled Dantalion to the center of the dance floor, leaving William standing motionless in shock. Romantic music filled the entire chamber, to suit the blue haired demon's mood as the musicians saw fit. Sitri took the lead, his right hand placed gently on Dantalion's left hip as the brunet let him guide the way.

"I never knew," Sitri began as they danced across the room with far greater elegance than the other pairs, all the people watching them in amazement. "You look so beautiful in white."

Taken aback, Dantalion looked into Sitri's cobalt blue eyes, his cheeks turning a rosy shade. As Sitri let him go for a brief moment to let him twirl, Dantalion saw William among the spectators, the Elector's green eyes burning with abhorrence. He was back to facing Sitri in a split second. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw William dancing with a demon girl. The next thing Dantalion knew, his hands had been pulled away from Sitri's and into the blond prefect's, leaving the random girl, who William had dragged onto the floor with him, to dance with Sitri.

"You can't just ditch your escort like that, Dantalion," William said, a glint of fury in his eyes. Dantalion averted his crimson eyes from the prefect's gaze.

"Apologies, it wasn't my intention to," the Grand Duke stated.

"You know, I've been meaning to tell you for quite some time," William confessed. "Lately, I've been dreaming about you." Dantalion's eyes travel back to meet William's, lighting up with curiosity.

"Last night, I dreamt that I had met you in my childhood years," the blond man said. "Or perhaps, considering the unfamiliar settings, it was Solomon as a child."

"Anyway," William continued. "Apparently, I had been kept prisoner in my room for as long as I could remember. Then, one day, you appeared in my room out of nowhere and asked me if I wanted to become king. I was so glad that you came. Isolation was all I knew of until I met you, Dantalion."

Tears trickled down Dantalion's cheeks as they continued dancing. Unbeknownst to him, they had formed behind his eyes while he listened to William.

"That sneaky bastard!" Astaroth hissed under her breath. "We have to come in between them, Camio. You go get the girl from Sitri while I take care of the Elector." The half demon nodded in compliance.

"I'm starting to remember little by little," William said, relieved. "I'm so sorry I made you wait this long for me." Dantalion beamed.

The Grand Duke was about to wrap his arms around William to embrace him from an outburst of joy, when he was suddenly stolen from the prefect's arms.

To his left, Dantalion saw Camio dancing with the girl who William had first danced with. In the last glance he got of Solomon's descendant, he saw Astaroth take William's hands.

Finally, Sitri had taken him back.

Dantalion took a few seconds to wipe his tears away with his right hand before he placed it back on Sitri's left shoulder.

"What did he say to you?" the viscount prodded, upset with Solomon's descendant for making the brunet shed tears. Dantalion shook his head lightly, refusing to answer the question.

"You told me not to come crying to you if something ever went wrong." Sitri bit his bottom lip in worry.

"Whatever it is, just tell me," he urged Dantalion, who gave him a heartwarming smile.

"I never knew," Dantalion started. "You're a great dancer."

Meanwhile, Astaroth took the lead in her dance with William in order to keep him far away from Dantalion.

"I didn't think you'd ever come back here, descendant of Solomon," Astaroth told the young man. Angrily, William pushed her away from him. After he took in a mouthful of air, he made a declaration loud and clear.

"I've come here to choose the substitute king."


	5. A Heart, Denied

**Disclaimer: Makai Ouji and its characters belong to Yukihiro Utako and Takadono Madoka.**

**A/N: This is actually a very short chapter. The word count is much higher because I've included a long explanation for the characters' OOCness. You may choose to skip it, but that would defeat the purpose.**

"It's about damn time you did!" Dantalion exclaimed as the room was filled with the crowd's murmuring.

Camio and Sitri exchanged glances from where they stood. At long last, a demon king who will rule in Lucifer's place would be hailed.

"What are you planning?" Astaroth asked. "You've refused to choose any of the candidates for so long now, and then you suddenly come out here to tell us that you're finally choosing." The young blond laughed.

"As expected," William started. "You know me all too well, Astaroth. I still am one of your descendants, after all." At that moment, all demons in the room no longer saw William, but the legendary human king. Merged with William's core, Solomon has returned.

The blond turned to face Dantalion, who was still standing next to Sitri.

"As much as I would like to choose you," William began as he slowly headed towards Dantalion. "I've already made a decision. Even though your powers surpass that of the four kings, I can't bring myself to elect you as the next king." Dantalion let his gaze fall to the floor. He did not get angry, nor was he bitter at William for saying what he had said.

"Go back to the human world with me," William pleaded as he reached out to caress Dantalion's left cheek. "I still don't believe that demons exist. And I know that I'm not the so-called Solomon that you long for. But I need you, Dantalion. If I appointed you as the next king, you won't find any time for me. Throw away your life as a 'demon' and come live with me in the human world." The said demon chuckled nervously.

"You're right," Dantalion agreed. "You're not Solomon, and you never will be. Solomon would never say something like that."

"So, what do you say?"

"I have two questions for you, William," Dantalion said. Hearing this made Astaroth smirk in self-pride. Earlier, she had visited Dantalion without the prefect noticing before she left to go to Duke Balberith's house. She handed him a gift that was meant to be given to him when he needed it most; Solomon's parting gift. Because of that, hopefully, Dantalion had remembered what he had lived for.

"Do these robes suit me?" Dantalion asked. William thought the brunet was joking. The demon's question was undeniably out of context, so he did not stop to think that it could have been related to a bigger picture.

"Not really," William answered sincerely. "It flutters behind you like your usual outfits, but I personally think red suits you better. White doesn't become you." The brunet gave him a sorrowful smile.

"I see," Dantalion replied. "Then, can you guess why I curtsy when greeting the nobles of Hell?" Anxiously, William shook his head 'no'. The Grand Duke released a heavy sigh.

"I belonged to Solomon. I still do," Dantalion stated with emphasized solemnity. "Once, he told me that I should never bow to, or kneel before anyone but him." He reached up for William's hand and pulled it away from his cheek.

"He also told me, once, that the color white made me shine far brighter than the sun. This high-low blouse was his farewell gift to me. Her majesty, Astaroth, gave it to me this morning when you were in another room. She said Solomon had handed it to her a few days before he had passed away." William's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Oh, come on," the blond whined. "Don't tell me you had expected me to remember that by now!" Dantalion smiled at him. This time, it was a genuine smile.

"No, it's not that. I just realized how stupid I was. Sitri was right all along." A spark had been lit in the blue haired viscount's eyes when Dantalion had uttered his name. A look of disappointment had settled itself upon William's expression. His eyes wandered to meet Camio's, who he recognized as the Head Boy in his school.

"Miss Mollins needs you by her side back at Stratford," William stated; his voice, dead. He then looked at Sitri. "That leaves you, Sitri." Surprised gasps had flooded the room. Duke Balberith, however, snickered to himself.

"Sitri Cartwright. Prince of Hell, Commander of sixty legions," William acknowledged. "By the power vested in me, I name you king."

**A/N: Yes, the characters are mostly OOC, and even though I've apologized for it in an earlier chapter, I'll do so again. I'm really sorry. Here's my explanation for each one:**

**Dantalion- As you see in the manga, whenever the issue of Solomon was brought up, his face always looked so agonized, especially since William didn't remember anything about him and kept on denying his demonic existence. In the ball, he's beginning to realize that if he stayed with William, it'll only hurt him even more because he will constantly be reminded that William isn't, and never will become, Solomon.**

**If you're wondering about the curtsy and his super long shirt, it was all Solomon's doing xD Blame him. Also, I know that in the manga, it was Dantalion who killed Solomon upon his orders, but from the research I've done, no one really knows how King Solomon died. Therefore, I went with that.**

**William- This story would have probably been set in the later chapters of the manga, but the first time that William remembers anything from being Solomon in the past was in Volume 2, Chapter 11. So now, he's been dreaming about Solomon's past for some time now, even before the first chapter. And of course, he seemed quite OOC because Solomon's conscious had finally been awakened, and William acknowledges that he is a different person from Solomon, but because the king's soul is within him, he has this feeling that he can't live without Dantalion anymore. Thus, he became envious of Sitri's rendezvous with Dantalion as Solomon started to become one with him.**

**Camio- No comment :/ But he's a good person at heart**

**Duke Balberith- As his role in Hell is almost equal to Dantalion's, who shares a bond with Lucifer, it would be bad for him to show disrespect towards the Grand Duke, especially in a social gathering.**

**Astaroth- She's well aware that William will only trap Dantalion in the shadows of his past, so she doesn't approve of Dantalion choosing to stay beside him.**

**Lamia- She's still in love with Dantalion. But as long as it's unnecessary to write her parts, I'll avoid it because there's not much use for her in this fic.**

**Sitri- To me, he's the character in Makai Ouji that needs the most lovin'. The time he met Solomon, he was lonely. Even though he's the one Solomon petted most, Dantalion was the favorite. Sitri and Dantalion could've been friends, but Sitri's uncle taught him to look down on Nephilims, so they didn't get along right away. However, there's a saying that a great relationship takes time to build. After thousands of years trying to put aside their differences, it was about time that Sitri made a move, especially since he had wanted to for so long.**

**My writing's not at a level where I could easily convey each character's emotions or sufferings, but I hope this helped for now. I'm sorry it's so long.**


	6. Desperate Measures

**Disclaimer: Makai Ouji and its characters belong to Yukihiro Utako and Takadono Madoka. Please support the series by watching the anime's official release in Crunchyroll and buying the manga.**

**A/N: I sincerely apologize for the delay! I know this whole fanfic is rushed, but I can't help it. I'm so excited to see how the ending would turn out myself. Major OOCness because I suck at writing. Ironically, they plan on dragging Kevin into Hell. Enjoy :D**

Sitri could not believe what he had just heard. In truth, out of all the candidates for the position of ruling in Lucifer's place, the viscount was the least suited for the throne, especially with Camio and Dantalion whose powers exceeded that of the four kings aiming for the same goal. He did not know whether to feel proud or left out, however, knowing that the Elector chose him only because he was the only one without a partner who would have been affected by his election. Yet, his friends were truly happy for him; Sitri knew that much. No matter what the reason for William's decision, the throne would soon belong to Sitri; Commander of sixty legions; Prince of Hell.

Not too long after the cheering of the guests died down, Sitri had been approached by Astaroth.

"The Kings and I have decided to hold your coronation tomorrow noon," the Queen informed the blue haired demon. Sitri nodded in consensus.

"And one more thing," Astaroth continued before taking a momentary pause. "If you want a chance with him, your plans have to be carried out by the end of this night."

Just then, Balberith advanced towards them.

"What did I tell you about associating with Nephilims, my lovely doll?" the old Duke asked his protégé as a sign of disapproval. Astaroth could only glare at the older demon. "Anyway, come with me. Let me introduce you to your future wife."

"Future wife?" Sitri repeated after Balberith, his eyes narrowing in dread. "Uncle, you can't be serious!" The viscount looked to Astaroth for assistance, but the Queen walked away in silence.

Sitri was on his own. Only he could make a path for himself.

Meanwhile, Dantalion followed William to the balcony. The night sky of Hell was cluttered with stars burning brightly. The blond prefect gazed up at the palely lit moon.

"Would you like go back home now?" Dantalion asked the descendant of Solomon, sadness lingering in his voice. Truth to be told, Dantalion actually wanted to stay with William for the rest of his life, just as he had done with Solomon. Despite that, he had made up his mind not to. He knew that the young blond would only become fed up with being seen as someone other than himself.

"Let me stay with you until the party comes to an end," William requested. "I am your escort, after all."

"So this where you two were hiding."

Dantalion and William turned around, seeing Camio standing with his arms crossed.

"Sitri is about to make an announcement," the half-demon notified them. "Would either of you like to listen?" To Dantalion's surprise, William went on ahead of him. He followed suit, a small smile of relief gracing on his lips.

Once again, Sitri stood atop the stairway; this time, the four rulers were with him.

"Thank you to everyone who came here tonight," Balberith started off. "Chief Steward, Samael; Duke Beelzebub; Queen Astaroth and I have come to a decision that Sitri's coronation will be held tomorrow at noon in His Highness, Lucifer's palace." Balberith then looked at Sitri, indicating the viscount's turn to speak.

"While I am not yet crowned, Duke Balberith had already chosen a suitable fiancée for me," Sitri began. "She is Eligos; Marchioness; also a commander of sixty armies, and a subordinate to Duke Beelzebub." Dantalion gazed up at the blue haired demon from where he, Camio, and William stood. Tears threatened to fall from his crimson eyes.

"As lovely as she is, I'd have to politely refuse." The hall was filled with surprised gasps once more. Would wonders ever cease?

"She is quite a fitting match for me, but that's all she is," Sitri admitted. "I am already in the middle of pursuing someone greater." Astaroth became unable to control herself, and thus giggled, angering Balberith. The Anti-Nephilim leader's hands curled into fists.

"What, in the name of Lucifer, are you doing?!" Balberith reprimanded Sitri through gritted teeth. "How dare you ruin my plans?!"

Sitri glared at his uncle with vehemence, warning the older demon to be quiet or else. The viscount's eyes wandered back to his audience.

"I hereby announce my courtship of His Excellency, Dantalion."

Not a single sound was heard from the crowd as Sitri's words rang loud and clear. The fallen angel began to make his way down the stairs; once more, to Dantalion. He then stood face to face with the Nephilim, who stared at him with conflicted eyes.

"I need you next to me. My life would be meaningless without you," Sitri said as he took Dantalion's hand and got down on one knee. "Would you give me the honor of becoming your husband?" A bright shade of red painted Dantalion's cheeks.

"I'm not a woman. Don't treat me like one," Dantalion said. "Besides, you've barely started the courtship." Sitri smiled at him.

"I've decided to skip it. Now, please say yes."

"I can't make you happy," the Grand Duke attempted to discourage the viscount as he abruptly withdrew his hand. He felt as if he was not deserving of Sitri's affections. For so long, he had focused his attention on other things, and he failed to notice that the blue haired demon had been gradually trying to open up to him. "You'd be better off with Eligos."

"Times of peace, times of war, days of loneliness, nights of grief," Sitri said. "We've been through so much together. The thought of you being with another tears me apart. I want you all to myself. You truly are the most important person to me, Dantalion."

"It won't hurt to be honest with your feelings, Dantalion," William whispered in the Grand Duke's ear. "We all could tell how happy you are whenever you see Sitri. Solomon would want you to be happy."

"The two of you aren't really giving me a choice, are you?" Dantalion asked in response to the blond man's advice.

"Not at all," the descendant of Solomon answered truthfully. In defeat, Dantalion sighed.

"Do whatever you want."

Sitri's sapphire eyes lit up with hope. "Is that a yes?"

"...Yes."

One by one, the demons applauded in approval. As claps echoed in the halls, Sitri stood up and claimed Dantalion's lips in a passionate kiss. Many of the demons squealed and shouted out words of encouragement at Sitri's public display of affection, but it all came to a stop when Duke Balberith threw a fit of rage.

"Stop this madness!" the old Duke yelled out in anger. "He is a Nephilim! A disgrace to pure blood demons!" This earned him a cold glare from the viscount.

"I was chosen to rule in Lucifer's place until he awakens from his deep slumber, not you," Sitri shouted back in irritation. "I will choose a mate who I deem worthy of being Hell's Queen. You'd be a fool to think you could still manipulate me once I claim the throne."

"Suit yourself!" Duke Balberith harshly barked. "You're no longer welcomed in my home." With those last words, Balberith turned on his heel and stormed off to his chambers.

"Ashe, I have a favor," Sitri hollered, ignoring his uncle's outburst. "I know it's a little sudden, but can you help me plan a wedding for tomorrow?" For the last time, the crowd then gasped in shock. Dantalion stilled himself, dumbfounded. William and Camio, on the other hand, laughed out loud.

"Sitri and Dantalion. Indeed, the two of you are a match made in Hell," Astaroth noted as she slowly walked down the stairs and headed towards her companions. "Balberith is now out of the question, so who will wed you?"

"I can get Kevin," William responded to the Queen's question with enthusiasm. "I could quickly go back to the human world and get my house steward. He's a registered priest." Camio gripped William's arm without hesitation.

"Let us go fetch him, then." And just like that, Camio vanished with the blond prefect.

"You're really rushing all of this," Dantalion told Sitri, who smiled at him warmly.

"I lost you to Solomon once, long ago," the blue haired viscount said. "Now that you're free from his hold, of course I want to get my share as soon as possible. This is only the beginning of my desperation."


	7. For Death To Triumph

**Disclaimer: Makai Ouji and its characters belong to Yukihiro Utako and Takadono Madoka. Please support the series by watching the anime's official release on Crunchyroll and buying the manga.**

**A/N: I'm so sorry this took me so long! But I'm back now, and I have M-rated material coming with me :D Enjoy!**

The following day could not have come any sooner, nor could it have gotten any more chaotic for anyone and everyone in Hell. All of the demons had woken up early in excitement for Sitri's coronation, which everyone but Dantalion, Eligos, Astaroth, and Lamia had attended.

The little Princess spent her time preparing Dantalion for the wedding that would come shortly after the coronation, while Astaroth and Eligos took care of the ceremony and venue arrangements.

"Your clothes definitely have to be white!" Lamia tried to persuade the Grand Duke. "Even Sitri took note of how 'beautiful' you look in this color."

"That color represents purity," Dantalion explained. "I don't have the right to wear white in my own wedding. I'll just go wearing my normal clothes."

"No!" the daughter of the Nephilim queen protested. "You either wear white robes, or I am going to force you to go in a dress!"

"That's actually not a bad idea!" Dantalion admitted. "They never gave me a proper baptism in Stratford, so I never got to wear that dress." Lamia's eyes lit up with hope.

"Are you serious?"

"Not really," Dantalion replied in a dead tone while the smaller demon searched all of the wardrobes for something suitable. "I'll get laughed at if I cross-dress."

"Whatever," Lamia brushed off the Grand Duke as she handed him a big pile of clothes. "Just take off your clothes and put this on."

"Oh, my... How many layers are there?!"

"Just hurry up and wear it!" Lamia yelled. "At this rate, we'll be late!" Dantalion then quickly did as he was told, putting on layer after layer of robes. Lamia snickered to herself, imagining how pleased Sitri would be from taking them off one by one later that day.

Meanwhile, Sitri flew to the location of the wedding in a rush. Now that he was king, the only thing that he needed to complete his life was Dantalion. The former viscount felt nothing but blessed as all of his hopes and dreams began to come true one by one. First, he was crowned as the interim ruler of Hell. Now, he was about to form a union with the love of his life. They would rule together for the next few years while they create their own family.

Sitri arrived in the garden of Astaroth's palace just in time to see the queen finish up organizing everything with Eligos. The two women wore a proud expression on their faces after they took in the sight of their handiwork.

"Where's Dantalion?" Sitri asked the two as he landed not too far behind them. "I want to see him!" The queen and the marchioness turned around to look at Sitri, only to be awed by the sight of the new king. A rich, blue cape hung from the fallen angel's shoulders, embellished with silver buttons and chains. He wore black leather gloves to match his black leather shoes, and a sheathed sword hung from his belt. The jacket he wore was of a sapphire shade, made with dragon leather, accompanied by metallic-grey trousers. Lastly, his blue hair was tied and slicked back, and a golden crown adorned with stoned of sapphire sat atop his head.

Sitri was truly a sight to behold.

"Looking good," Astaroth said as a sign of approval. "Not as good as your bride, though. You'd have to wait a little longer to see him. It's bad luck for a couple to see each other before the ceremony starts."

At the queen's words, a small smile graced Sitri's lips.

"I'm sure he'd look stunning."

Not too long after Sitri's arrival, guests started flowing in and sat down. Everyone was present; even Balberith, who had shown opposition towards Sitri's pursuance of Dantalion's heart. Even His Highness Lucifer, who was supposed to be in a deep sleep, had awakened and attended. It was no surprise, however, seeing as Dantalion was his one and only heir. Perhaps the Emperor had wanted to be there to give away Dantalion to another; perhaps he wished to see how happy his only family member looked on his wedding day.

The Emperor approached Sitri, who kneeled before him in respect.

"You better make my child happy," Lucifer warned. "He's my only treasure." Sitri nodded in compliance.

"I will take good care of him, my liege," Sitri assured the Emperor. "I swear on my life."

"Sitri, get to the damn altar!" Eligos suddenly yelled out, interrupting the conversation between the two fallen angels. "The wedding is about to start!"

And so — as eager as a zealot could get — Sitri made his way to the altar in haste. Soon after he got up on the elevated platform, an orchestra began playing soothing music suitable for weddings.

Then, there he was. All dressed in layers of satin robes — the foremost layer being white, Dantalion stood waiting by the garden's gate as he held a small bouquet of gardenias. Lamia stood next to him, of course, carrying a basket of blue rose petals. Looking at the Grand Duke, no one — no one at all — dared to think that he would be anything but deserving to rule beside Sitri. Nephilim or not, the only successor of Lucifer was worthy of happiness; be it the throne of Hell, or a partner who will cherish him.

The Emperor advanced towards his successor; a gloved hand reaching out, which the brunet gladly took. Lamia then pressed forward, throwing flower petals in Dantalion's path as she proceeded to the altar.

"I never imagined this day would come," Lucifer said to Dantalion in a gentle whisper. "You were so hung up on your vow to serve Solomon for all eternity. I never stopped to think for once that you would leave me this early..."

"Please don't fret," Dantalion softly spoke. "Having been an unwanted child as a human, I'm certainly blessed to have been your one and only contractee. I see you as my dearest father. I will never leave you, Your Majesty."

They finally reached the stairs leading to the altar. Slowly — slowly, Lucifer lead Dantalion up. Just like every parent, he felt joy in witnessing the one point in his child's life when the said child would take part in holy matrimony after having found true love. Yet, at the same time, just like any parent, the Emperor felt dread from having the light of his life taken away from him. He refused to look as Dantalion let go of his arm and, instead, gripped Sitri's. There was no going back. At the very least, Lucifer would make sure that this ending would be a happy one.

"Those robes suit you well," Sitri began to whisper as Dantalion ascended to the white altar. "But, really, how many layers do you have on?" Dantalion gave the King a decent smile.

"Lamia said you'll have to count for yourself," the Grand Duke teasingly replied as the orchestra stopped playing. "Tonight."

"Everyone," Kevin abruptly shouted out. "Before we begin the ceremony, please place your bets on whether their first-born would be a girl or a boy! I bet it's a boy!" Indeed, the archangel's gambling addiction had its ways of ruining a tranquil atmosphere. A shoe, William's in particular, was thrown at the dark-haired man.

"Is gambling the only reason you came here?!" the descendant of Solomon yelled. William, who Sitri chose as his best man, was actually surprised that he and Camio had actually convinced the angel of repentance to descend into Hell and perform the rite. To think that Kevin agreed to come with them just to turn the future of the royal family into a subject of betting was just unbelievable. The angel sighed and offered his apologies, commencing the ceremony right after.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Sitri and Dantalion in marriage. Through their time together, they have come to realize that their personal dreams, hopes, and goals are more attainable and more meaningful through the combined effort and mutual support provided in love, commitment, and family. On this day, they will be united as husband and wife- uh... husband...? Somebody, please, help me! I don't understand how this works in Hell." Kevin started to shake in embarrassment as the crowd lightly laughed.

"Dantalion would still be considered a wife," Sitri confidently claimed. At his words, Astaroth scoffed.

"That's just speaking for yourself, isn't it?" Yet again, the crowd laughed. The angel exhaled.

"Well anyway, let's continue. If anyone objects to this marriage, please feel free to tell your Emperor face to face," Kevin said before continuing. "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant. Love does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. In honor of this holy matrimony, please say your vows."

Naturally, Sitri went first. Everything happened so suddenly, and he was definitely not in his right mind when he had asked Dantalion to marry him out of the blue last night. So, there he was; about to say his vows without having had any practice. He shook in nervousness as he turned to face Dantalion, and spoke.

"I, Sitri, take you, Dantalion, to be my friend, my lover, the future mother of my children and my wife. Or husband. No, you're definitely a wife. In the presence of Our Mighty Emperor, Lucifer, and our friends I take thee to be my one and only Queen. You will be the only one I will share my life with, because unlike Solomon, I do not take pride in harems. I vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live."

As Sitri recited his vows, the majority of the guests giggled to themselves as the king projected his thoughts aloud. Even Kevin was trying to surpress the small laughs of amusement that bubbled up his throat. All the while, Dantalion soaked in the precious words of affection from Sitri as his lips curved up into a smile. In all those years that he had mourned, he failed to notice that such a simple, yet precious, happiness was waiting for him to come down to earth. Maybe in all of those years he had been suffering with Solomon as they defied fate together, destiny had wanted him to have been beside Sitri instead.

Surely, now, he could let go of Solomon.

Gathering of all the feelings he had wanted to convey for so long, Dantalion began to recite his vows.

"I, Dantalion, take you, Sitri, to be my lawfully wedded husband, my dearest friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of His Highness- Lucifer, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care for and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, for all eternity. I pledge to you endless strength that you can count on when you are weak. I'll be your ears when you can't hear, your eyes when you can't see, or your heart when you can't feel. You'll never need to look further than me. I'll be your days and nights when you need them filled, your spark of life in the darkness, your hope when you're down and out. Beseech me not to leave you, or to return from following after you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. And where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. I will give you all of my love until death do us part."

No further words were needed to be spoken. The pledge between the two was agreeably clear, and it brought tears of awe to their witnesses. Without delay, Kevin brought a cushion, on which two rings sat, in front of the couple.

"Please exchange rings." The two demons reached for their respective rings, then Sitri took the initiative.

"I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness. As I place it on your finger," the blue-haired king stated as he slipped a silver ring with sapphire gems on Dantalion's ring finger. "I commit my heart and soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day." In turn, Dantalion gently placed a golden ring with a big ruby held in place by tiny claws.

"With this ring, I marry you. With my body, I will serve you. With my heart, I will love you. Everything I own, I will share with you. Everything that I am, I give to you."

After Dantalion wrapped up his oath, Astaroth came up behind him and adorned him with a golden cape. He then was asked by the angel to kneel, and a weighty silver diadem, on which diamonds and rubies of the highest caliber were embedded, was placed upon his head. Dantalion rose back up as soon as the crown was situated atop his head.

"Now," Kevin proceeded. "Please choose at least four people who will bear witness to the consummation of your marriage. Unless the maids in the palace will suffice, that is." Dantalion lowered his head slightly in embarrassment, while Sitri remained unfazed. Having been more involved in royal life, the king knew that it was tradition for other people to observe whenever a royal couple would procreate in order to prevent false rumors about the royal child from forming. His blue eyes stole a glance at Dantalion, who appeared to be flustered.

"The maids in the palace will suffice," Sitri attempted to say, but he was interrupted by Astaroth.

"Lamia and I will spectate," the queen offered, wearing a conceited smirk, as the smaller demon nodded her head off in agreement.

"It would be beneficial to have me there in case Sitri gets too... excited," Camio also spoke up, thinking how painful it would be for Dantalion if the king became drowned in lust and forgot that his partner had not mated with anyone for several years. "I will hold him back." At that moment, playful chuckles reverberated throughout the wedding site.

"I do not need an invitation to observe," Beelzebub claimed with an eerie cheerfulness. "I'm a fly. You won't even notice I'm there, so we could fit a fifth person. Oh!" Out of a sudden recollection, the Northern Duke turned to William.

"I think Solomon would be interested in seeing the mother of his late children be taken by another."

"Please don't call me by that name. We aren't the same," the blond prefect responded. "But, yes, I do want to supervise the consummation of this marriage."

"It's decided, then," Kevin interjected to stop further discussion. "By the powers vested in me, I name you King and Consort of Hell. Sitri, you may now kiss the... Oh, screw this, just kiss him, damn it!"

So Sitri and Dantalion kissed, and in a flash, the stars aligned. At that moment, nothing else was real. It was just Sitri and Dantalion by themselves on the purely white altar, feeling the radiance of their combined love and sorrows.

They were pulled back into reality as they heard the amorous cheers from the crowd, Lucifer's being the loudest. A standing ovation was given to them, obviously enough. The majority of the demons had been struck by sheer admiration. One would not usually see two demons who care for each other as much as those two. Their love was naive, selfish, powerful, and rare; for a love between demons, that is.

Indeed, Sitri and Dantalion were a match made in Hell.

All was well; this was what ran through the Emperor's head. He ran up to the couple with the intention of congratulating them. That, he did, but there was one more thing that he wanted to see through to the end before he concluded his heir's life to be a happy one.

"I want a lot of grandchildren," was what Lucifer requested of Sitri in a silent whisper. "A whole legion of them." His words made Sitri chuckle in delight. The blue-haired king had never thought that the Emperor of Hell would wish for such a thing.

"Your wish is my command."

For sure, this ending would be a happy one. Or so Lucifer thought.

Just as Dantalion was about to throw the bouquet of sweet-scented gardenias in his hands, they had fallen from his grip. Dantalion would not have purposely let the bouquet hit the altar's floor. Horrified gasps resonated throughtout the garden as everyone looked at Dantalion. An arrow had been shot right through his chest. An arrow of steel had burrowed itself into his chest, and his crimson blood soon soaked his extravagant robes of satin. As his warm blood dripped farther down, Dantalion's eyes glanced up to seek the direction in which the arrow came from. Sitri did the same. To say the least, they were not surprised to see Balberith in their line of sight. A cloaked demon — from the looks of it, a Nephilim who was formerly a bandit — stood behind Balberith, steadily holding a wooden bow in his rigid hands.

The silver diadem which Dantalion wore proudly fell onto the pristine white floor beneath them. A laugh of triumph that came from Balberith himself was barely audible in the sea of chaos.

No.

No.

No!

This is a nightmare, Sitri thought. All of this was merely a bad dream. He rushed to catch Dantalion, whose knees gave way to his collapse. Behind him, the crowd was shrouded in complete pandemonium after witnessing an apparent act of rebellion against Lucifer. Yet, Sitri did not care. He knelt down and cradled his beloved — his Dantalion — as tears dreadfully formed behind his blue — blue eyes. From the bottom of his heart, he wished that this was just a horrible nightmare. While Sitri's fears began to swallow him whole, the Cecil priest knelt beside him and swiftly pulled the bloodstained arrow from Dantalion's chest. Excessive blood gushed out from the brunet's wound, which frightened Sitri even more. He grasped Dantalion's hands tightly.

God was not someone any demon acknowledged. Certainly, God was not someone Sitri had placed his faith in. But now that the only thing he had placed his hopes on was being taken away from him, the king wished for nothing but for God to take away everything from him; everything but Dantalion.

"That Nephilim won't rise in the ranks," Sitri suddenly heard Dantalion say between raspy breaths. "Don't worry." Before he could continue, the brunet took Sitri's hands in his own.

"I won't die."

After all that has been said and done, Dantalion was rushed back to his manor by Kevin and Baphomet. Absent the three, Sitri was left alone with the guests. The faces of the demons were all solemn as Balberith and his accomplice were brought to the front for all of them to see; of course, William was also there to endure the following torment.

Needless to say, an enraged Lucifer stood before them all.

"Pray tell, High Priest," the emperor viciously demanded. "What in the Heavens possessed you to do such a thing?!"

"That's obvious, Your Highness," Balberith replied without the slightest regret for what he had done. "It's unacceptable to let Nephilims, like your heir, gain that much power over Hell." A powerful slap from the angered Emperor sent the duke's face flying across the crime-tainted garden.

"Duke Balberith," Lucifer began, his voice showing no hint of mercy. "I hereby strip you of your titles: Baal, and Berith. Until your rightful _Queen_ recovers from his injuries, you will be confined in your own home, absent food and water. King Sitri will decide your punishment. If it be light, I shall take over and make you suffer for what you did to my only child."


	8. Love Surpassing Death

**Disclaimer: Makai Ouji and its characters belong solely to Yukihiro Utako and Takadono Madoka. Please support the series by watching the anime's officially licensed release on Crunchyroll and by buying the manga.**

**A/N: Apologies for not uploading chapters everyday like I used to. I guess it's because these recent chapters are longer than the first few. In this chapter, I finally write a love-making scene, but it's cut very short and it's not very detailed. It didn't feel right to include an incredibly romantic smut scene because they had people watching like perverts, and because they're only beginning to explore what they feel for each other. Explanations will be at the bottom of the page.**

"How fares Dantalion?" Sitri asked the goat butler and the angel of repentance as he rushed head first into Dantalion's manor with the five chosen spectators behind him, in addition to Lucifer. They immediately flew to see Dantalion after the imperial guards had taken the assassin — which Balberith hired — to the palace dungeon, and placed Balberith in house-arrest. Instead of receiving a proper response, Sitri and the others had been given nothing but silence.

"What's his condition?" Lucifer interrogated in Sitri's place. "Speak, before I cut your tongues."

"I'm afraid my master is no longer with us," Baphomet shallowly said. "His heart doesn't beat. His chest doesn't rise from breathing. I'm afraid we've lost him." Sitri's gloved hands curled into tight fists as he trembled in terror.

"You're lying!" Sitri accused the butler, tears forming behind his blue eyes. "He's alive... He told me he wouldn't die!"

"Oh, he's alive alright," said Kevin in a solemn voice, in hopes of giving the young king some light in a time of darkness. "Your wife... is undoubtedly alive. But..."

"'But' what?!" Sitri snapped angrily. The Cecil priest could only give him an anguish-filled stare.

"Dantalion might never wake."

At that moment, tears flowed down Sitri's angelic face like a river. William, distraught by the news as Sitri was, placed a hand upon the king's right shoulder and offered him soft spoken words of consolation. It hurt to think that they would never be able to speak — or laugh, or spend time — with Dantalion ever again. Sitri was not the only one; William had gradually fallen for Solomon's seventy-first Pillar, which was why he knew — alas, William knew — the pain of losing the brunet.

"Stop pulling their legs," a faint voice then came from the stairs. Atop the steps, Dantalion stood wearing a long, red night robe that trailed off behind him. He stood tall, showing no signs of weakness. Yet the people before him knew that he was weary; his hands firmly gripped the railing of the staircase. Kevin and Baphomet were dazed; their eyes had widened in suspicion, and their jaws had dropped in shock. For what it was worth, they were certainly telling the truth. Seeing Dantalion standing before them at that moment came as a highly unexpected surprise. Once again, they wondered why Dantalion was so strong.

Why did he seem so invincible?

All the while, Sitri took advantage of the group's bewilderment and ran up to his spouse in relief right away and pulled him into a crushing embrace.

"Numquam me relinquo," the blue-haired king whispered in Latin as he sobbed into Dantalion's neck. "Quaeso."

"I will never leave you," the brunet swore, his voice hoarse. Gently, he wrapped his arms around Sitri. He wanted to reassure the fallen angel that he would see his vow through. After all that Sitri had sacrificed and done for him, the least Dantalion could do was to return his feelings wholeheartedly.

Sitri's tears had stopped from hearing the brunet's words of reassurance. Contentedly, he pulled away and gave Dantalion a warm smile.

"You shouldn't have come all the way here," the blue-haired demon lightly reprimanded. "You're still recovering from your injury."

Just then, a loud cough had interrupted the conversation between the pair. The young king and his consort glanced down at their comrades, finding Lucifer staring spitefully at Sitri.

"Your thoughts on your uncle's punishment," the Emperor strictly called attention to. "Let us hear them."

Right then and there, Sitri would have told the Emperor to do what he would to Balberith. While he was family to Sitri, the act of treason he had committed toward the fallen angel and his beloved Dantalion was simply unforgivable. If Balberith had not been already damned, Sitri would have surely damned him to the depths of Hell. The blue-haired demon had already let Balberith mistreat him for so long. But now that his uncle had targeted the love of his life, Sitri would not allow his insolence to pass. When it all comes down to Dantalion's well-being, Sitri would not dare hold back. Without a doubt, he would show no mercy.

Yet, somehow, Dantalion himself had a way of changing Sitri's mind.

"As you can see, I'm perfectly fine," Dantalion flaunted as he managed to give them a bright smile. "There's no need to punish Balberith."

"That's absurd!" it was William who had shouted in irritation just then. "He tried to kill you! We can't let that pass!"

"The important thing is that I'm not dead. This is Hell. Here, there is no such thing as God. There's no need to punish those who sin, for it could only cause a bigger problem such as a revolt. As the Imperial Consort of Hell, I must rule Hell the way a hell should be ruled."

"Do what you will," Lucifer retorted through clenched teeth as soon as Dantalion finished speaking. The Emperor could not fathom why Dantalion would not try to understand that they wanted to protect him to the best of their abilities. He turned and walked away from the group with the intention of leaving. "I have to go back to rest. Until then."

The atmosphere lightened a little after the Emperor had left the manor. The whole lot was honestly upset that Dantalion wanted to let Balberith's transgression slide. With that said, Sitri still pressed on the subject.

"If that's what you truly want, then have it your way. However, you will no longer address him as Balberith since His Highness, Lucifer, had recently stripped him of the titles of Baal and Berith. He lost the right to that name when he decided to attack you."

Taking Sitri's hands in his, Dantalion pleaded, "Give him back his identity."

"Why? After what he did, why are you showing him kindness?" Hesitant to answer the question, Dantalion's grip on Sitri's glove-enclosed hands tightened.

"I know how cruel His Excellency is," Dantalion stated in a delicate manner as he mentioned Balberith. "Regardless, I need him to stay the same. Myself aside, Balberith is the only family member you have here. You're lucky you have an uncle who looks out for you. He's not at all pleasant, but he cared for you. That's why I don't want you to lose him; because he'll always be family."

"Your intentions are justified, but what about you, Dantalion?" Camio interrupted. "You seem to be too calm about getting assaulted. In any other typical situation, you would want to get your revenge. This side of you worries me to a great extent." Dantalion chuckled in nostalgia, and turned to face Camio.

"Did you know?" Dantalion's question was directed at Camio, yet it involved the entire group. "Solomon hated me because I pushed him to turn against his father. Instead of finding a way to strengthen their bond, I tore apart whatever they had left. I don't want to do the same to Sitri."

Silence fell upon them all. The demons knew from the start. More than any Nephilim or Halfling in Hell, Dantalion had the most humanity left.

"Anyway, don't mind me," Dantalion continued. "It would be rude of me to not greet the guests. Let's all head to the venue."

Although Sitri and the others were hesitant, they had accompanied Dantalion to the wedding venue after much insistence from the brunet. Surprisingly enough, the injured demon held out well throughout the afternoon; even the guests were not able to understand why he was able to stay standing. Came evening, and one by one, the guests fled. For the time being, Baphomet had returned to Dantalion's manor with Kevin for the night. The only ones left at the venue were the newly married couple and their five chosen witnesses.

"Shall we return to your manor now?" Sitri asked as he came up behind the brunet. He then wrapped his arms around Dantalion's waist. The fallen angel knew that Dantalion was still in need of rest. Yet to his dismay, Dantalion shook his head 'no'.

"Let's move into the palace tonight. We have to consummate the marriage, anyway."

"The consummation can wait. You've yet to heal," Sitri argued. In truth, he wanted Dantalion to take the time not only to recover from the wound he had sustained, but to also prepare himself for what was to come. Having the outright loyal demon he was to Solomon, Dantalion would undoubtedly need time to adjust into a relationship. That same loyalty kept Sitri at bay for thousands of years, frustrated. In the end, Camio was right. Sitri would not be able to hold back.

After everything that had happened, Sitri forgot that Dantalion was capable of reading the minds of others. This, he only realized when the brunet softly whispered in his ear,

"I'll be fine. I'm ready."

Whether Dantalion's words were of self-sacrifice or true desire, Sitri did not know. It could easily have been both. Perhaps, Dantalion did not want to keep the fallen angel waiting; maybe, he simply wanted to give in after having been deprived of love for so long. Either way, the newly weds ended up in bed together. To say the least, it was quite uncomfortable to have had their comrades who watched their every single move in the same room.

Sitri removed himself of his garments, relieved that he was able to shed the heavy weight of his clothes off of his body. He kept his trousers on, however, and a bulge was clearly visible. Dantalion ran his eyes over Sitri's toned body. For someone of his height and caliber, Sitri was well-built. He even gave off a warmingly dominant aura, which intimidated Dantalion, who had never submitted to anyone but the late King Solomon.

"I thought you would be a little more..." Dantalion began, trying to find words.

"More what?" Sitri questioned. "Effeminate? Well, that's why they say not to judge a book by its cover."

The blue-haired king closed in and kissed Dantalion as he pushed gently pushed the brunet onto the firm mattress. He ran his tongue over his spouse's bottom lip, asking for entrance. Dantalion gave Sitri the access he wanted, and in no time, the young king invaded his mouth. For a while, their tongues danced in a heated wave of passion. Then, Sitri pulled away and aimed for Dantalion's neck. However, the Nephilim stopped him.

"No foreplay," Dantalion desperately begged. "Please, not tonight. I need you inside me now."

And so, giving into temptation, Sitri complied. They had the rest of their lives to take it slow, the fallen angel shamelessly thought to himself.

Not wasting any time, Sitri lifted up the hem of Dantalion's crimson robes as he managed to strip himself of his pants. He then hoisted the brunet's legs up on his shoulders, hurriedly aligning his hardened shaft with Dantalion's puckered entrance.

"Are you sure about this?" Sitri hesitantly sought confirmation from his spouse. "We have time. I could prepare you."

"I said I'll be fine."

"If you say so."

Sitri graced his lips upon Dantalion's collarbone in an attempt to calm him as he swiftly penetrated his tight passage. Alas, the light butterfly kisses that the blue-haired demon had offered did nothing to soothe the pain that pierced through Dantalion. The brunet's pained screams filled the room as a slight amount of blood from his forcefully-entered hole trickled down to the sheets.

"Damn... tight," Sitri commented through heavy breathing as he began thrusting at a painstakingly slow pace. "Just like a virgin."

"That's not... it," Dantalion managed to say between moans. "You're just... well-endowed." Sitri pushed forward, aiming to go deeper. As he did, Dantalion winced in slight pain.

"Leopard spots," Dantalion's words came in a gasp. "They're showing."

Before the couple knew it, Camio was behind Sitri, his hand ready to strike as leopard spots gradually scattered further down Sitri's body. The blue-haired king halted his thrusts.

"At ease, Camio," said the fallen angel. "I'm still in control."

"You're past the point of having control, Sitri," Camio cautiously argued. "You're subconciously switching to your true demon form. You'd hurt Dantalion even further."

"Stop interrupting them! I want to watch!" Lamia suddenly yelled at Camio from the sidelines.

"Sit back down, Camio. Dantalion will be fine," Astaroth then said. "Solomon was far worse than Sitri."

"You all are talking as if I'm not here," Dantalion chimed. Sitri gently leaned down and kissed the brunet's forehead.

"Don't mind them. I know it hurts, but we're almost done. Bear with me, love."

Soon enough, Dantalion's orgasm overtook him; his stamina betraying him. Sitri came shortly after, the tightness of Dantalion's walls egging on his release. Before long, Dantalion fell asleep in exhaustion before his spouse was even able to pull out. Not wanting to disturb the moments of peace, the five spectators bid the young king goodbye and left the couple alone in silence. It would be another month before the lot of them saw each other, after all.

***Notes:**

Back in the old days, there were servants who watched royal couple consummate the marriage. The consummation could have been as simple as the couple lying down in bed together, but I went with the anciently traditional one that my teacher told my class about so that there were no doubts on who the father of the child was.

"Numquam me relinquo" - "Never leave me"

"Quaeso" - "Please"

(I'm sorry if the Latin is not accurate. I'm no master of Latin, so I only got these from online translators. Whatever Latin I know only came from some pages of Makai Ouji were they spoke in Latin and Harry Potter ;_;)


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